Alexander Dennis to offer diesel-to-electric bus retrofits

Alexander Dennis (AD) is set to offer electric repowering solutions for its diesel buses in partnership with specialist engineering firm KleanDrive.

The AD Repower solution will cut out tailpipe emissions and extend the operating life of existing fleets, complementing the manufacturer’s newly-built next-generation electric buses.

AD Repower will initially be available in the UK on the MMC-generation Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double decker, with a first pilot bus scheduled to be on the road in the first half of 2026.

Alexander Dennis said “with sufficient demand, other models and other markets could follow”.

Under the partnership, KleanDrive replaces the buses’ existing diesel engine and transmission with its plug and play electric drivetrain system and control software.

A unique skid system houses a Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS) motor and all power electronics, allowing for easy installation. VEDS is also used in Alexander Dennis’s next-generation electric buses, allowing operators to benefit from familiar and proven technology.

Energy is stored in 352kWh CATL lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, for which KleanDrive expects a driving range on a single charge of over 300km at 50 per cent passenger occupancy.

The AD Repower conversion maintains the Enviro400’s interior layout, allowing existing buses’ full seating capacity to be retained.

“We believe that offering new electric buses as well as repowering vehicles already on the road is the quickest route to decarbonisation of our customer’s fleets,” said Chris Gall, group engineering director at Alexander Dennis.